The backwards compatibility of the Switch 2 is just rad <3

TuFaN

TuFaN

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I feel like I have to praise the Switch 2 a bit because I LOVE this device so much, OMG! I honestly thought I'd get bored pretty quickly and just wait for new games to come out after a short while. I'm not the biggest Mario Kart fan you gotta know, and since the Switch 2 only has two exclusive titles so far, MKW and Fast Fusion, I figured I'd lose interest pretty fast.

But nope, I'm not bored at all! I've been rediscovering my old Switch 1 library, and can you believe Nintendo basically gave us free upgrades for almost every single Switch 1 game? Almost every title now runs at a smooth 60 fps, and usually doesn't have to dynamically drop resolution during demanding scenes anymore.

I'm sure they'll keep rolling out more special upgrades, like the free ones for Odyssey, and also monetized ones like the extra quality added for BotW/TotK. Right now, I'm seriously so freaking satisfied. What a time to be a gamer!

If any of you are on the fence about buying the Switch 2 because of the price, I'm telling you, it's totally worth it, especially if you already own a Switch 1 library.
 
I also like it a lot but it's not perfect. Smash for example looks a lot more jagged and Bayo 3 is still blurry AF (although constant 60FPS everywhere). I am excited to finish my backlog on this thing.
 
Yeah it's a fantastic console. With the improvements that it brings to frame rates, resolutions, motion controls and general useability (E.g. the massive improvement in using the eshop) it feels like it's fulfilling the goals and the vision of the Switch 1 in a way that the OG console just couldn't achieve.
 
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Lupin3 said:
So, this is true?
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Absolutely not.

Also, besides the framerate, there's another problem with S1 games : their resolution -and this is something that can't be fixed via plain brute forcing (even for those that have DRS) since the OG resolutions were already cack in the first place...

I mean, even simpler 2D games have the same problem, take Cookie Cutter or Have a nice Death for example - the 2D art is so pixelated when you blow out the picture on a > 55'' 4K display that it becomes immediately an eyesore.

TLDNR : while brute forcing improves things (framerate for those uncapped games/those that ran sub-30fps), fact is THAT YOU STILL have to deal with sub-optimal (to downright dreadful) resolutions.

Unfortunately, OP has just discovered Backwards compatibility and he is being very enthusiastic about it...
 
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I really appreciate how backwards compatibility can bring older games with performance issues up to standards. Was this the case with PS1 games when running on PS2 or PS3?

Regardless, breathing life into old games in meaningful ways keeps them very playable in their own way.

I know it's on PS, but older games like Uncharted 4 may not have the visuals of say Hellblade 2, but it can run at 120fps on PS5 Pro with a nice enough resolution which keeps it compelling in its own right instead of being locked at 30fps on base PS4.
 
Schachtier said:
So it actually is a switch pro?
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I mean if you only wanted to play Switch 1 games, I guess it kind of is. It allows you to play a lot of Switch 1 with a better performance with no updates needed.

I always appreciated the PS5 was able to play PS4 games but this seems like a step up from that.
 
I mean, not having BC would've been the most retarded thing any of the console manufacturers could do, considering that they want their consumers to stay trapped in their digital ecosystem.
 
Giallo Corsa said:
Absolutely not.

Also, besides the framerate, there's another problem with S1 games : their resolution -and this is something that can't be fixed via plain brute forcing (even for those that have DRS) since the OG resolutions were already cack in the first place...

I mean, even simpler 2D games have the same problem, take Cookie Cutter or Have a nice Death for example - the 2D art is so pixelated when you blow out the picture on a > 55'' 4K display that it becomes immediately an eyesore.

TLDNR : while brute forcing improves things (framerate for those uncapped games/those that ran sub-30fps), fact is THAT YOU STILL have to deal with sub-optimal (to downright dreadful) resolutions.

Unfortunately, OP has just discovered Backwards compatibility and he is being very enthusiastic about it...
Click to expand...

This was my experience as well browsing reddit posts on the matter, so it was quite surprising reading such claim here. Thanks for clarifying.
 
Hudo said:
I mean, not having BC would've been the most retarded thing any of the console manufacturers could do, considering that they want their consumers to stay trapped in their digital ecosystem.
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Yes and no. Backwards compatibility never helped a console's success. The Switch isn't, nor was the PS4 (despite having already the PSN in place), they sold more than the Wii U and PS3, which were.
So even if it wasn't, it would've still sold a good amount.
GametimeUK said:
Was this the case with PS1 games when running on PS2 or PS3?
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No, PS1 games on PS2 were running like on the PS1 as the PS2 had PS1 components, same for the first models of the PS3 with PS2, and PS1 was emulation on PS3. But no improvement, like Virtual console.
 
Windom Earle said:
And now imagine the jump PC gamers go through when they buy a beefy new GPU.
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As a Swicth and PC owner I'm more excited for the x7-x10 improvement to switch 2 for 500€ than the 44% uplift I would get replacing my 3080 for a 5080 for 950€ MSRP (real price 1500€). I would probably have to update the CPU as well to avoid bottlenecks too so I think the real jump is into a debt abyss.
 
Hyet said:
As a Swicth and PC owner I'm more excited for the x7-x10 improvement to switch 2 for 500€ than the 44% uplift I would get replacing my 3080 for a 5080 for 950€ MSRP (real price 1500€). I would probably have to update the CPU as well to avoid bottlenecks too so I think the real jump is into a debt abyss.
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You don't get 7x-10x improvements on S1>S2 lol. Even on patched titles there are very small differences and Nintendo wants money for bigger updates.
The point is, PC games are not locked to artificial resolutions and frame rates. Seeing console only gamers fawn over features that are standard on other platforms is funny to me. Anyway, I will stop derailing this thread now.
 
Baemono said:
Yes and no. Backwards compatibility never helped a console's success. The Switch isn't, nor was the PS4 (despite having already the PSN in place), they sold more than the Wii U and PS3, which were.
So even if it wasn't, it would've still sold a good amount.
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Sure. But not having BC these days could also entice customers to change to a competitor's platform more easily, since they can't "carry their library" with them. The digital library is also a way of chaining a customer to one manufacturer (sunken cost fallacy and all that jazz). But this only works if the customers can access their whole library even in the future, imho.
 
Im on the last chapter of Bayonnetta 3. I couldnt play it on the OG switch due to tearing and performance. Its been locked 60 FPS on the switch 2. Super impressed and a great game.
 
Windom Earle said:
You don't get 7x-10x improvements on S1>S2 lol. Even on patched titles there are very small differences and Nintendo wants money for bigger updates.
The point is, PC games are not locked to artificial resolutions and frame rates. Seeing console only gamers fawn over features that are standard on other platforms is funny to me. Anyway, I will stop derailing this thread now.
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Right. I should not have said improvements since Switch 1 games still play like Nintendo Switch games o Switch 2. My point is: I can spend 500€ on a Switch 2, that is like 9 times more powerful than the predecessor, and get better performance out of Switch 1 games and access to Switch 2 games or I can spend more than 1K in upgrading my GPU to get 44% more performance. The jump to Switch 2 form the original is more significant and cheaper. Of course Swich 2 could not dream of achieving what my current PC does, but that's not the point.
 
TastyPastry said:
how is the resolution bump though? i own a 77" OLED so playing those switch 1 games in 4k would be nice
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Playing on an 55" LG C1. Currently I only have Mario Kart World and Splatoon 3's new update to showcase the system, but it looks really good. Just a lot crisper. Honestly Splatoon 3 might be their best looking game. Some people say they can still see the jaggies on these games still, but as someone who has played Switch 1 consistently on the same C1, it is night and day.

I haven't tried Tears of the Kingdom yet because I just don't feel arsed to play that game right now.

A lot of games need patches though.

Animal Crossing needs a patch today.
 
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Lupin3 said:
So, this is true?
Click to expand...
Absolutely not. The Switch 2 is only going to see improvements if DRS/unlocked Framerate (either or both) is used or if it receives a dedicated patch.

TastyPastry said:
how is the resolution bump though? i own a 77" OLED so playing those switch 1 games in 4k would be nice
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Kabelly said:
Playing on an 55" LG C1. Currently I only have Mario Kart World and Splatoon 3's new update to showcase the system, but it looks really good. Just a lot crisper. Honestly Splatoon 3 might be there best looking game. Some people say they can still see the jaggies on these games still, but as someone who has played Switch 1 consistently on the same C1, it is night and day.

I haven't tried Tears of the Kingdom yet because I just don't feel arsed to play that game right now.
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BOTW and TOTK both look great IMO and are a huge improvement to the originals. I agree on Splatoon as well. That game just looks fantastic and combined with a great art style it's a looker on SW2.
 
DenchDeckard said:
Im on the last chapter of Bayonnetta 3. I couldnt play it on the OG switch due to tearing and performance. Its been locked 60 FPS on the switch 2. Super impressed and a great game.
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Im waiting for a sale to buy that. Never bought it, because it was pretty awful on switch 1
 
Windom Earle said:
You don't get 7x-10x improvements on S1>S2 lol. Even on patched titles there are very small differences and Nintendo wants money for bigger updates.
The point is, PC games are not locked to artificial resolutions and frame rates. Seeing console only gamers fawn over features that are standard on other platforms is funny to me. Anyway, I will stop derailing this thread now.
Click to expand...

"Very small improvements"

Right.
 
Switch 2's backward compatibility support is excellent, I agree, from the dozen or so first-party games I've tested since launch but I feel that Nintendo could be doing more to support their own games with enhancement patches. I was disappointed that the enhancement patch for Kirby: Forgotten Worlds isn't out until August. I really thought the enhancement patch would be available at launch with the new content released later.

Maybe they intend to drop a few of these every month over the life span of the Switch 2? Or maybe this isn't a priority for them as long as Switch games run on Switch 2 without issues?

I doubt third-party developers will bother but that isn't an issue for me as I only bought first-party Switch games. My hope is that most of these will get Switch 2 enhancements at some point, e.g. Yoshi's Crafted World, Pikmin 3, Pikmin 4, Zelda: Skyward Sword, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, etc,. etc.

I've really only played games on my Switch 2 in docked mode since getting it at launch. The only time I've used it as a handheld was during the initial setup but I did briefly check out Pikmin 3 and 4 in handheld mode and was a bit disappointed at the upscaling quality. I think the games look much better in docked mode personally which is great news for me as that is how I want to play games on Switch 2. It's what I wanted to do with Switch games but the games looked so bad on my 4K TV that I ended up buying a Switch OLED as a compromise and played the game in handheld mode instead to preserve my sanity!
 
I was playing Mario Bros Wonder last night and while there's no "official" update to it yet, ut definitely looks better. Super vibrant and clear, pops right off the TV now. Ended up playing the whole evening, it's a really fantastic game full of joy.
 
Luipadre said:
Im waiting for a sale to buy that. Never bought it, because it was pretty awful on switch 1
Click to expand...

Ive really enjoyed it. The middle annoyed me and Im not a huge fan of the Viola girl. Just let me be Bayo. But its really had a good climax to the end I think. Pun intended.

Love Bayo!
 
Hudo said:
I mean, not having BC would've been the most retarded thing any of the console manufacturers could do, considering that they want their consumers to stay trapped in their digital ecosystem.
Click to expand...
Baemono said:
Yes and no. Backwards compatibility never helped a console's success. The Switch isn't, nor was the PS4 (despite having already the PSN in place), they sold more than the Wii U and PS3, which were.
So even if it wasn't, it would've still sold a good amount.
Click to expand...

Even though digital marketplaces were around for the PS3, Wii, and WiiU, I don't think they were heavily utilized as the defacto method of delivery for new game content. The PS4/Switch era were really where we saw an explosion of digital-only releases and a large push for digital releases of AAA games. They almost became the focus rather than an afterthought. Sure, the Switch and PS4 didn't do BC, but they also didn't have, comparatively, as much to lose by ditching it.

PS5 and Switch 2 may not be exactly helped by having BC, but they certainly would have been hurt by not including it. The digital library and ecosystem are now of paramount importance. Removing BC in today's market is both a slap in the face and a potential off-ramp for your hard-earned customers.

(yes, I ignored Xbox, but only since it wasn't part of the discussion. Though, it's easy to make the argument that Series X/S failed largely due to the ecosystem set up during the PS4 era)
Pasta la Vista said:
I'll buy it when Nintendo honors my purchases from the Wii and Wii U.
Also why are most of their classic games locked behind a subscription?
Click to expand...

Johnny Depp Goodbye GIF
 
rabbity-thing said:
Even though digital marketplaces were around for the PS3, Wii, and WiiU, I don't think they were heavily utilized as the defacto method of delivery for new game content. The PS4/Switch era were really where we saw an explosion of digital-only releases and a large push for digital releases of AAA games. They almost became the focus rather than an afterthought. Sure, the Switch and PS4 didn't do BC, but they also didn't have, comparatively, as much to lose by ditching it.

PS5 and Switch 2 may not be exactly helped by having BC, but they certainly would have been hurt by not including it. The digital library and ecosystem are now of paramount importance. Removing BC in today's market is both a slap in the face and a potential off-ramp for your hard-earned customers.

(yes, I ignored Xbox, but only since it wasn't part of the discussion. Though, it's easy to make the argument that Series X/S failed largely due to the ecosystem set up during the PS4 era)


Johnny Depp Goodbye GIF
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This. I think that The PS4 era was where the digital ecosystem bullshit took off. Which is also why it was probably the worst generation to lose for Microsoft.
 
Best part about this new console? Playing older games! Haha.

Seeing backwards compatibility being praised is so surreal.

Edit: I should probably add that I think it's great to have backwards compatibility. Just that it was normal for me growing up, it was then removed, and now returns with a cape.
 
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Hudo said:
This. I think that The PS4 era was where the digital ecosystem bullshit took off. Which is also why it was probably the worst generation to lose for Microsoft.
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We've been over this. The Xbox One failed where the PS4 and the Switch succedded, aka compelling arguments to buy your device, aka good (new) games. And it's still the same reason why the PS5 is a success and so will be the Switch 2.

The Switch sold mostly because Zelda was a 97/100 GOTY game when the console launched. If Xbox had a 97/100 GOTY exclusive, it would've sold a lot of consoles too. The digital library argument is a very weak one, no one has a huge attachment rate to a nickname created 7 years ago or that 2$ Borderlands game you bought digitally
 
Thats cool since I never completed Odyssey fully, after beating the main track. Plan is to get the Switch 2 at some time when it reaches a critical mass of games to play, but I havent played any of the last two Zeldas either so maybe I will get one when DK launches. Should be enough for a while. Bananza, Mario Kart World, Odyssey, and the last 2 Zeldas.
 
Baemono said:
We've been over this. The Xbox One failed where the PS4 and the Switch succedded, aka compelling arguments to buy your device, aka good (new) games. And it's still the same reason why the PS5 is a success and so will be the Switch 2.

The Switch sold mostly because Zelda was a 97/100 GOTY game when the console launched. If Xbox had a 97/100 GOTY exclusive, it would've sold a lot of consoles too. The digital library argument is a very weak one, no one has a huge attachment rate to a nickname created 7 years ago or that 2$ Borderlands game you bought digitally
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Agree to disagree. It isn't about keeping an online handle or a 2 dollar copy of Borderlands.

It's about keeping a vast library of multiple 2 buck games (and their associated save data). If you don't think digital libraries are a compelling factor, then ask yourself why Epic gamestore had such a hard time finding relevance against Steam even as they straight up gave away a ton of excellent games for FREE.

You are confusing two very different situations. The PS4/Switch launches happened at a time where software quality was far more consequential. Once we got to Series X/S and PS5, the digital ecosystems became a more compelling argument for potential consumers. Keeping one's digital library was now significant and, thus, so too was the need for BC.
 
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rabbity-thing said:
If you don't think digital libraries are a compelling factor, then ask yourself why Epic gamestore had such a hard time finding relevance against Steam even as they straight up gave away a ton of excellent games for FREE.
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Bad argument, there are more and more Steam users. I had a digital library on Switch, PS4 and PS5, didn't stop me from starting a new library on Steam as well. Cause it's a compelling product.

People buy new consoles to play new games. The Switch 2's best selling games are Mario Kart World and Cyberpunk 2077. It is a compelling product.

If the Xbox One or Series was a compelling product with 97/100 GOTYs, it would've sell much more
 
Windom Earle said:
You don't get 7x-10x improvements on S1>S2 lol. Even on patched titles there are very small differences and Nintendo wants money for bigger updates.
The point is, PC games are not locked to artificial resolutions and frame rates. Seeing console only gamers fawn over features that are standard on other platforms is funny to me. Anyway, I will stop derailing this thread now.
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7x-10x is hyperbole but very small is as well.

BOTW & TOTK were 900p docked and 720p handheld/30fps on Switch and both could drop to like 90% resolution. They are both now 1440p docked upscaled to 4K (2.5x) and 1080p handheld (2x) as well as being double the framerate. Other games like Splatoon 3 are similar to Zelda (1080/720 to 1440>4K/1080 and while matches were mostly 60fps before everything is 60 now).

I would call a 2.5x resolution increase and 2x framerate (sometimes more as both Zelda games dropped below 30) is "very small".
 
Deerock71 said:
Go Away Do Not Want GIF
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He has a point though. Every 7th gen and 8th gen console had account based purchases besides Nintendo. There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to at least transfer VC purchases besides Nintendo being behind like they always are and wanting you to spend money again and again just this time locked behind online play. Regular games I get it because there is no backwards compatibility however.

Even PS5 has this even if it's limited. I bought a few classic games on PS3 that I have access to on PS5.
 
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